Suggested Books

PARTNERS

The Rise of Quetzalcoatl: From Plumed Serpent to Creator God

Quetzalcoatl was one of the most important gods in the ancient Mesoamerican pantheon. Its iconic appearance is identified in the name of this god. Quetzalcoatl is a combination of two Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs) words, quetzal, which is the emerald plume bird, and coatl, which means serpent. Therefore, Quetzalcoatl is commonly also known in English as the Plumed Serpent or Feathered Serpent.

Finding the Origins of Quetzalcoatl

But this deity was known by other names in other Mesoamerican civilizations. The Maya people, for instance, referred to Quetzalcoatl as Kukulkán, whilst the Quiché of Guatemala knew this god as Gucumatz.

The Aztec god Quetzalcoatl as depicted in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis (16th century). ( Public Domain )

The roots of Quetzalcoatl, or at least the form of the feathered serpent, can be traced all the way back to the Olmec civilization, which existed from around 13th to the 5th centuries BC. The representation of a divine feathered serpent can be found on a famous Olmec stone-carving known as the La Venta Monument 19, in which a man in shown to be seated before this creature. The cult of Quetzalcoatl, however, only emerged several centuries later, during the Late Classical period.

A photo of La Venta Stela 19, the earliest known representation of the Feathered Serpent in Mesoamerica. ( Audrey and George Delange )

New Features for Quetzalcoatl

One of the civilizations of this period in which Quetzalcoatl was worshiped was the Teotihuacan civilization, which existed between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD. It seems that the people of this civilization worshipped Quetzalcoatl as a vegetation god, a deity of the earth and water that was closely connected to Tlaloc, a rain god. Certain substantial changes occurred to the cult of Quetzalcoatl when the Toltecs came to power. During this period, Quetzalcoatl was transformed into the god of the morning and evening star - as war and human sacrifice, which were central features of this culture, were linked with the worship of heavenly bodies.

Quetzalcoatl in feathered serpent form as depicted in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis. ( Public Domain )

Quetzalcoatl’s role as a solar deity was maintained during the Aztec period, though he was given a number of other roles as well. For example, Quetzalcoatl was associated with the planet Venus, became the protector of the goldsmiths and other craftsmen, and was considered to be the god of learning, science, crafts, arts, and agriculture. Quetzalcoatl is also said to have invented the calendar and discovered maize, two important features of the Aztec civilization. Moreover, Quetzalcoatl became strongly associated with the winds, specifically as a bringer of rain clouds, which was important to a society dependent on agriculture.

Quetzalcoatl in Creation Myths

Most importantly, however, is the elevation of Quetzalcoatl to the status of a creator god. According to the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was one of the four sons of Tonacateuctli and Tonacacihuatl, the original creator gods. Quetzalcoatl and one of his brothers, Tezcatlipoca, were given the task of creating the world.

In one version of the myth, the two brothers constantly fight with each other, which resulted in the creation and destruction of several successive ages. During the 1st Age, for instance, Quetzalcoatl attacked Tezcatlipoca with a stone club, causing his enraged brother to command his jaguars to eat up all the people. The Aztecs believed that this cycle of creation and destruction happened four times, and that we are currently living in the 5th Age.

Quetzalcoatl as depicted in the post-Conquest Tovar Codex. ( Public Domain )

In an alternate version of the myth, the two brothers are more co-operative, and succeeded in creating the earth and the sky by transforming themselves into giant serpents, and ripping a female reptilian monster known as Tlaltcuhtli (or Cipactli) in half. The two gods then created other things, such as the sun and the moon, the first man and woman, and other gods.

Quetzalcoatl’s End

There is a Toltec myth describing how Quetzalcoatl came to an end. In that myth, the god was a priest-king of Tula, and never offered human sacrifices, only plants or small animals. Alternatively, the god only accepted such sacrifices, and not human blood. In any case, Tezcatlipoca was unhappy with Quetzalcoatl, and wanted to get rid of him. Tezcatlipoca succeeded in getting Quetzalcoatl drunk, which caused him to commit incest with his sister, Quetzalpétatl. When he awoke, Quetzalcoatl was ashamed of himself, and wandered all the way down to the Atlantic coast. In one version of the myth, he built a pyre, and immolated himself on it. In another, he sailed away into the east on a raft made of snakes.

Ḏḥwty

I am a university student doing a BA degree in Archaeology. My interests range from ‘conventional’ to ‘radical’ interpretations of the archaeological/textual/pictorial data set. I believe that intellectual engagement by advocates from both ends of the spectrum would serve to... Read More

Register to become part of our active community, get updates, receive a monthly newsletter, and enjoy the benefits and rewards of our member point systemOR just post your comment below as a Guest.

Your name *

E-mail *

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.

Related Articles on Ancient-Origins

Kukulcan was the all-powerful snake god worshipped by the Maya. While little information remains about the legends and mythology of Kukulcan – due to the tragic destruction of the Maya codices by the...

Before the first moon landing in 1969, the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e was mentioned in the Apollo 11 Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription between the Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas and the Apollo...

The god Tezcatlipoca was a major Aztec deity who was worshiped in east-west facing temples in many Mesoamerican city-states under the influence of the Aztecs, particularly Texcoco. He was considered...

Viral Articles

The leprechaun is perhaps one of the best-known creatures in Irish folklore. Leprechauns are popularly depicted as little men with beards dressed in green coats and tall green hats. Other well-known beliefs about leprechauns include the pot of gold that they are said to keep at the end of the rainbow, and their mischievous nature. Whilst many are familiar with this general depiction of the leprechaun, there are other aspects of these Irish creatures that are less well-known.

Top New Stories

Head-hunting, as a way of establishing power and veneration of the head as the throne of the soul and the body’s spiritual engine, began in Europe as far back as Mesolithic times, approximately 13,000 years ago.

Myths & Legends

The leprechaun is perhaps one of the best-known creatures in Irish folklore. Leprechauns are popularly depicted as little men with beards dressed in green coats and tall green hats. Other well-known beliefs about leprechauns include the pot of gold that they are said to keep at the end of the rainbow, and their mischievous nature. Whilst many are familiar with this general depiction of the leprechaun, there are other aspects of these Irish creatures that are less well-known.

Human Origins

Most people who have the Rh blood type are Rh-positive. There are also instances, however, where people are Rh-Negative. Health problems may occur for the unborn child of a mother with Rh-Negative blood when the baby is Rh-Positive.

Opinion

Does a hidden garden hold the encoded secrets of the Kabbalists? Hidden away in a cul-de-sac at the base of the towering medieval walls of Girona, Catalonia, Spain, is a tranquil garden. A statue of a long-haired angel stands guard over the entrance, its hands clasped in prayer.

Our Mission

At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives.

By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.